Harlan Gerald Johnsen Sr - age 83 of Laurens, Iowa went to be with his Lord on Wednesday, November 18, 2020, at the Pocahontas Hospital Hospice Care.

Harlan Johnsen was born on December 9, 1936, at the Swallum Hospital in Storm Lake, IA, the only son of Julian Peter and Frances Maude (Zoffka) Johnsen.  He was baptized at St. John's Lutheran Church, on the Marathon to Newell blacktop, in May 1937.  The son of sharecroppers, Harlan spent his childhood years on farms between, Albert City, Truesdale, Marathon, and ending one mile South and one mile west of Laurens. Harlan attended grade schools in Albert City, Truesdale, Marathon and graduated from Laurens with a class of 32 students in 1954.  He went on to Iowa State College for Agricultural Journalism.   He returned to Laurens in the spring of 1956.  On April 11, 1956, he began work at M & JR Hakes.   This career would span 39 years ending with retirement on April 14, 1995 and saw the company transition through Hakes, Scrivner, and Fleming.  While employed, Harlan was a vocal and proud member of the Teamsters Union.   Always a man of stories, he would describe his first job as breaking and loading ice in the front of rail cars to ship eggs back to Chicago, but spent most years operating a fork lift.  While holding a full-time job, Harlan moonlight painted with the Howie Grund paint crew, sold insurance, and served as custodian at Bethany Lutheran Church all in Laurens.

Harlan was very proud of his Danish Heritage and over the years belonged to Danish Lodges including Newell Lodge #147, Elk Horn Kimballton Lodge #341, Dike Lodge #144, Humboldt Lodge #217 and Clear Lake Lodge #219.   In 1979, he was elected treasurer of the Iowa-Minnesota United Lodges of Danish Brotherhood in America, a position he would hold for many years.  A highlight of his life came in 1977 when Harlan spent a month in Denmark reconnecting with relatives and visiting the site of his grandfather's birth in Naestved, Denmark.

In 1983, he flew to the Philippines and married Flordeliza DeLeon Zarzoso and on November 17 ^th was united in marriage at the Naga City Cathedral. Together, they were blessed with three sons, Julian Paul, Harlan Gerald Jr., Jorge Svend, and a daughter, Diana Frances.  Harlan and Flor had recently celebrated their 37 ^th wedding anniversary.

In his leisure time, he enjoyed woodworking, collecting toy tractors, taking care of vintage cars, and attending classic car and tractor shows.  He also loved gardening and fishing.

With his wife, he was a promoter for the Filipino-American Association Midwest Chapter, where he loved driving his 1951 Chevy pickup and float.

Harlan's faith remained unchanged throughout his life.  He was a devout Lutheran and shared his faith wherever he went. In recent years, he became active in missionary work in the Philippines through his family's foundation, Reach for the Stars.

Family was very important to him in his life.   He enjoyed traveling and supporting his children's activities in music, sports, and dance as they grew.  No matter how near or far his children were, he always kept in touch with them.  Harlan was a lover of music and treasured hearing his children sing and play music in church, nursing homes, and in the local community.  Eight years ago, the first of four grandchildren would come into his life.  He never turned down an opportunity to watch the grandchildren which he always said, "kept him on his toes."

Harlan never forgot an event, cut short a conversation, or forgot a person he only met once.  He could strike up a conversation with a complete stranger, talk for hours, and share his amazing sense of humor.

Those left to cherish his memory is his wife Flordeliza Johnsen; children Julian (MacKenzie) Johnsen of Laurens, IA; Harlan Jr. (Faith Myer) of Laurens, IA; Jorge Johnsen of Prague, Czech Republic; Diana Johnsen of Boulder, CO; and Janet (Price) Selzer of Jenks, OK. Harlan was preceded in death by his parents and son Jerry Paul.

"Harley John" will be greatly missed by his family and all those who knew and loved him.